Pack your cabin bag so you could survive the first day without your suitcase: documents, medication, chargers, a change of clothes, warm layers and, if you can, ski boots and goggles. Hold luggage is sometimes delayed, and while AirportsTransfers.ch tracks your flight and waits if you are held up at the lost-luggage desk, the right hand luggage keeps your holiday on track.
- Must-haves: Passports, bookings, insurance, medication
- Tech: Phone, chargers, Swiss plug adaptor
- Clothing: Base layer, socks, underwear, warm jacket
- Ski kit: Boots, goggles, gloves if space allows
- Comfort: Snacks, water bottle, lip balm, sun cream
Why hand luggage matters more on a ski trip
Ski holidays involve a lot of bulky luggage, and busy winter weekends put pressure on airport baggage systems. Most bags arrive with you, but when one does not, it can take a day or more to reach a mountain resort. That is a whole day of skiing if your boots, base layers and gloves are in the missing suitcase.
Delays are the other risk. Winter weather can hold up flights, and a late arrival means you may reach the resort after shops have closed. Having essentials in your cabin bag gives you a comfortable first evening whatever happens.
The trick is to pack your cabin bag first, before the suitcase. Decide what you would need for a night and a day on the mountain, put it in the cabin bag, and only then fill the hold luggage with the rest. That way the essentials never end up at the bottom of a case by accident.
Documents and money
Keep every document you need in one zipped pocket: passports or ID cards, booking confirmations for accommodation, ski hire and lift passes, travel insurance details and, if you are driving later in the trip, your licence. If your route crosses the border into France, as it does for Chamonix, Megève, Courchevel or Val d'Isère, you will need valid identity documents in the vehicle as well.
Add a bank card and a small amount of cash, and save digital copies of your documents to your phone. Note your transfer company's number too, so you can update the chauffeur if you are delayed. Keep your phone charged with a power bank, a charging cable and a Swiss plug adaptor, as Swiss sockets differ from those in many countries.
- Passports or ID cards for everyone
- Accommodation, lift pass and ski hire confirmations
- Travel insurance details and emergency numbers
- Bank card, some cash and a pen
- Transfer contact number saved on your phone
Medication and health
Always carry medication in your hand luggage, in its original packaging, with enough for a few extra days in case of delays. Bring a copy of the prescription or a doctor's letter for anything important. Add basic painkillers, plasters for blisters, and anything you rely on for altitude, allergies or travel sickness, particularly for children on winding mountain roads.
Liquids follow the usual airport security rules, so check the limits that apply at your departure airport, especially for sun cream and lotions. Medicines needed for the journey are generally allowed, but security staff may ask to see them.
Clothes and ski kit worth carrying
A full change of underwear, socks and a base layer take very little space and make a lost suitcase bearable. Wear or carry your warm jacket. If your airline's allowance permits, ski boots are the single most valuable item to carry on, as well-fitted boots are hard to replace and hire boots rarely feel the same. Goggles, gloves and a helmet liner fit into corners of a cabin bag.
For families, pack a small bag for each child with a change of clothes, a warm layer, snacks and something to keep them busy during the transfer. A drive of around 2 hours to Verbier or Gstaad, both about 160 km, or 2 h 15 to Courchevel, about 150 km, passes much more easily with the right distractions.
If a bag does go missing, report it at the airline's desk in the baggage reclaim hall before leaving the airport and keep the reference number. Give the resort address for delivery. With the essentials from your cabin bag, plus a quick visit to the ski hire shop if needed, you can still be on the slopes the next morning.
Booking a transfer that waits for you
With AirportsTransfers.ch, you see a fixed price per vehicle before paying online by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your chauffeur meets you with a name sign, tracks your flight and waits if it is delayed or if you need time at the baggage desk. Child seats are available on request, and skis and snowboards should be declared at booking.
If you are held up, send a quick message or call +41 78 346 56 77, available around the clock.
